Archive for the 'Xavier Su A Filo' Tag Under 'UCLA' Category

When Jim Mora came to UCLA before the 2012 season, he brought a notable NFL pedigree with him to Westwood, having coached at the next level for almost 25 seasons.

And almost immediately, the results were apparent. Last season, UCLA had a player drafted in the first round (Datone Jones) for the first time since 2006. The Bruins had four players drafted in all in 2013 -- the most they've had selected in eight years.

This year, as UCLA only grows richer in talent, the quality and number of pro prospects likely to get drafted has skyrocketed. With Anthony Barr and Xavier Su'a-Filo, the Bruins have two potential first-round picks in this year's field, and not since 1984 have two UCLA players been selected in the first round (Paul Bergmann and Don Rogers).

Su'a-Filo could be on his way to becoming the first Bruin offensive lineman drafted in the first round since Hall-of-Famer Jonathan Ogden went fourth overall in 1996, while Barr could become the first Bruin to be drafted in the top 10 in that same span.

In all, five Bruins should be drafted this weekend, tied for the most since 1989, when Troy Aikman and Carnell Lake highlighted perhaps the best class of NFL prospects that UCLA ever produced. Safe to say, after years of anonymity in the draft, UCLA certainly seems back on track in terms of developing talent for the next level.

The NFL Scouting Combine wraps up on Tuesday, after a five-day workout fest at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium. UCLA was represented quite well at this year's event, with two likely first-round picks and at least three more players certain to get drafted.

LOS ANGELES -- Redshirt junior guard Xavier Su'a-Filo, long considered to be the Bruins' best offensive lineman, has announced that he will forego his redshirt senior season and declare for the 2014 NFL Draft.

The first of two key UCLA underclassmen set to make NFL decisions, Su'a-Filo will likely be UCLA's highest drafted linemen since Outland Trophy winner Kris Farris, who was a third-round pick in 1999. Jeff Baca was the last UCLA lineman drafted -- in the sixth round last season.

This season, Su'a-Filo played mostly out of position at left tackle, forced to shift over from guard after tackles Torian White and Simon Goines suffered season-ending injuries. Even out of position, the 6-3, 330-pound Utah native was still named to the All-Pac-12 first team and also won the Morris Trophy, given to the conference's best lineman, as voted on by his opposition. He'll likely play guard at the next level, but his versatility should be a selling point to NFL teams looking to draft him in the first three rounds.

After taking a two-year Mormon mission following his freshman season, Su'a-Filo, 23, was also one of the oldest players on UCLA's roster, making his decision to declare an unsurprising one. Even he admitted that the decision was "suspected" by most.

You probably suspected it but I have decided to forego my senior year & make myself available for the 2014 NFL Draft pic.twitter.com/r7uGpN5e8X

After another standout season on UCLA's defense, linebacker Anthony Barr was named to the AP All-America first team on Tuesday -- his third such distinction this season, making him a consensus All-American.

Left guard Xavier Su'a-Filo, who also played tackle this season as UCLA's most consistent offensive lineman, was also named an AP All-American as a second teamer.

Barr, who finished with 10 sacks and 20 tackles for loss this season, is the Bruins' first consensus All-American since kicker Kai Forbath in 2009. He was also finalist for the Lombardi Award and is expected to be a top-10 pick in May's NFL Draft.

Su'a-Filo could join him in the early rounds of the draft, if he were to declare. UCLA hasn't had an offensive lineman drafted in the first three rounds since Kris Farris in 1999, but, as one of college football's best interior lineman, Su'a-Filo would likely surpass that mark.

Two NFL draft decisions will be made in the next month that will both adversely affect the trajectory of UCLA's offense in 2014. But for two players searching for the same end, the decisions couldn't possibly be more different.

For redshirt junior offensive lineman Xavier Su'a-Filo, its a very different scenario.

After taking two years off to go on a Mormon mission, Su'a-Filo will turn 23 the day after UCLA's bowl game. He's older than your typical redshirt junior -- he was a freshman in 2009 -- and he's got the physical and mental maturity to succeed at the NFL level right now.

But as teams find new ways to obsess over finding prospects with the highest ceilings, older isn't always better in today's NFL. Sometimes, in scouts' minds, older means maxed-out potential.

There was no player in college football this season quite like UCLA freshman linebacker Myles Jack, who captivated the nation on both sides of the ball unlike any player in recent history.

And on Monday, he was honored by the Pac-12, rather fittingly, unlike any other player in conference history.

Jack was named Pac-12 offensive and defensive freshman of the year, becoming the first player since the awards began in 2008 to win both.

The freshman two-way sensation didn't start playing offense until the last four games of UCLA's regular season. But from there, Jack was a force in the Bruins' backfield, rushing for 267 yards and seven touchdowns on just 37 carries.

Still, despite Jack's offensive impact, UCLA coach Jim Mora insisted on several occasions that he'd remain at linebacker. And he was certainly no slouch on that side of the ball, racking up 71 tackles (five for loss) and breaking up 10 passes as the Bruins' best coverage linebacker.